Little Bobby of Shoulder Voices: "Even though the show’s on Friday, May 13, I promise: you will get lucky."

BY M. BRIANNA STALLINGS

Self-described “fantasy death-pop” outfit Shoulder Voices occupies the same wild, weird and trippy world as The Flaming Lips, H.R. Pufnstuf and Willy Wonka. For this quirky local band, there’s magic in darkness and cuddles in chaos – plus tons of stuffed animals.

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For several years, Shoulder Voices has injected Querque into the 505 scene. Now the group asks its hometown to chip in to crowdfund Shoulder Voices’ new “wannabe rock opera” titled “The Stuffed Animal Band.”

Shoulder Voices’ Kickstarter campaign wraps up with a closing show on Friday, May 13, at Sister (407 Central NW). Jessie Deluxe and Lilah Rose open. Doors are at 9 p.m., and five bucks gets you in.

ABQ Free Press: Tell us about your new album.

We’ve fashioned it as a song cycle that’s also a recreation of a live show, complete with crowd noises and the bouncer telling you to get out at the end of the night. It pays homage to the local music scene and the rotating cast of characters [who] populate it.

Can you explain “fantasy death pop,” your self-applied genre label?

It allows us to express any and all emotions, and hopefully hook the listener into feeling something. Fantasy death pop can turn a song about heartache and regret into something that you can’t help but dance around to.

Why fund your new album using Kickstarter?

This will be the first album for which we will not being going into debt financially. This means that fans, friends, family and strangers can all as a “crowd” preorder our album, order shirts, and other merchandise, like stuffed animals.

Then, we will make the stuff, knowing the “who, what, and where” of it. It is also a great promotional tool, a way to advertise the band for the length of the campaign, and after.

How was the Kickstarter kickoff show at Low Spirits?

Awesome. By the end of the night, there was glitter everywhere . . . in addition to stuffed animals. We played with a cool touring outfit called Snailmate, and locals Ghetto Blast and Sugarmotor.

Where can people check out podcasts and your makeup tutorials?

The makeup tutorials will be available as a reward for our Kickstarter backers. I write a weekly, “ol’ timey” advice column about the creative arts, politics and glitter at Pyragraph, an online magazine for artists. I also recently became an associate producer on a podcast called “Melodic Treks” which is dedicated to the music of Star Trek.

What can fans expect at your upcoming concert?

Great music by Lilah Rose and Jessie Deluxe followed by a stuffed animal-filled-frenzy/party. There will be jokes followed by an ’80s dance party. Just follow the trail of glitter from the Andromeda Galaxy to Sister. Even though the show’s on Friday, May 13, I promise: you will get lucky.

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